Biathlon Coach Lauds Ski Trails Re-Opening

By Robert Thomas

The recently re-opened groomed cross-country ski trails in the Wakamow Valley are good news for a small club in Moose Jaw.

The trails are seen as a great boon for the activities of the South Saskatchewan Wildlife Association Moose Jaw Biathlon Club (MJBC).

Head coach Curtis Nord of MJBC said having the trails re-opened is a natural boost for the group largely because it reduces travel times and gives the eight member club more ready access to ski.

On a personal level, for his daughter Kaycee Nord training for upcoming national biathlon championships, to the MJBC club itself Nord lauded the efforts by the Moose Jaw XC Club to re-start the groomed cross-ski trails in the Wakamow Valley.

“Mother Nature hasn’t been super kind this year…I’m hoping like crazy it keeps snowing,” Curtis told MJ Independent in a telephone interview.

“Kaycee is pumped and all of the other Moose Jaw athletes can’t wait. All of the other Moose Jaw athletes can’t wait to be able to get out and go ski,” he said.

“And not having to drive to Buffalo Pound or to Regina or something like that just to go skiing,” Kaycee said, adding “Yes I am so happy we are getting these trails,” Kaycee said.

Grooming equipment - photo by Jonathan Benson

One thing Curtis agrees with the Moose Jaw XC Club’s communications director Kyle Lichtenwald the recently re-opened groomed trails help save money because all eight club members can ski in Moose Jaw and not have to travel elsewhere.

“Now people do not have to travel to Regina or elsewhere (for groomed trails)…this is good for Moose Jaw and it gets people outside in the Valley,” Lichtenwald had told MJ Independent in an earlier interview.

Curtis said the trails will have a positive impact on the biathlon club.

“It is going to be a huge benefit to have those trails in Wakamow,” he said.

Kaycee said having the trails right here in the city means a lot less time driving and more of an opportunity to go skiing.

“Because you can go after school to Wakamow Park and just ski but before we had the trails we would have to drive all the way to Regina or North Battleford, sometimes to Lumsden just to get some time on our skis,” she said.

“It saves lots of time and fuel and it saves daylight exactly. You can spend more time on the skis than say picking Kaycee up from school and driving to Regina and even Buffalo Pound Provincial Park,” Curtis said.

“Once you get there and get your skis on it gets dark pretty quick. That is going to be a huge bonus when the Wakamow trails are up and going. I know the volunteers are doing their very best to get all of the trails up and running,” he said.

“Once all of the trails are up and running it is going to be a huge benefit for Moose Jaw athletes.”